Cincinnati Goodwill helps veterans who feel lonely after being suddenly discharged from the hospital

CINCINNATI — Daniel Guidos enlisted in the U.S. Army at the age of just 20, driven by a deep sense of duty and gratitude instilled in him by his immigrant parents. The events of September 11, which occurred when he was only 11, strengthened his resolve.

“From that moment on, I knew I was going to join the military,” Guidos said.

Guidos’ service as a physician allowed him to prove himself, which ultimately allowed him to attend nursing school and become an LPN. It was a transition that would prove invaluable in the years to come. But the road ahead was not easy.

When his military service ended abruptly due to a brain injury he suffered after a collision with a drunk driver, the transition to civilian life proved to be a difficult task.

“I wasn’t ready to leave,” he admitted. “It wasn’t planned.”

He tried to commit suicide.

“I didn’t want to ask for help and I felt like I was letting my family down. So there was a lot of that, the guilt,” Guidos said.

For the first two years, he struggled to find balance, moving between six and ten different positions while struggling with the sudden loss of structure and purpose that had defined his life in the military. The TBI left him with debilitating headaches and photosensitivity, further complicating his adaptation efforts.

“It was almost like rejection when the military said I wasn’t good enough anymore, and then nothing else felt right,” Guidos said.

With four children, he and his wife decided to move to Cincinnati, attracted by the promise of family support. Fate, however, had other plans as his uncle, who had been the initial connection to the city, retired and moved out, leaving them without security. The Covid-19 pandemic only added to the challenges as Guidos dealt with uncertainty in the job market and the emotional impact of not being able to hug his children.

Faced with the prospect of falling into homelessness, Guidos made a decision that ultimately changed the trajectory of his life. Swallowing his pride, he contacted Goodwill, an organization he had heard of but never imagined he would need help with.

“I don’t like asking for help,” Guidos said. “We take great pride in solving problems ourselves, so asking anyone for help was difficult. Turning to an organization as large as Goodwill for help was incredibly difficult.”

But for the sake of his family, Guidos knew he had to take this step.

“We were doing some outreach at Great American Ball Park and Daniel took advantage of the encouragement to come and talk to our managers and we were immediately able to include him in our program and provide assistance,” said Susie Skeens, director of Shelter and Supportive Housing for Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries.

She said Guidos was hesitant to accept help and guidance from the goodwill manager, however, he managed to develop various ways the organization could help him and his family.

Goodwill has a boarding house for veterans experiencing homelessness. Fortunately, Guidos wasn’t at that stage, but he admits the bills were coming due and the work was still a challenge.

“The goodwill came just in time,” he said. “They helped me get back into nursing.”

His manager helped him transfer his nursing certification from New York to Ohio. This action opened the door for Guidos to active employment in a career field that appealed to him.

“They helped me exfoliate. They helped me get gas cards so I could initially go to and from job interviews and commute to and from work until I started earning money,” Guidos said. “Just point me in the right direction.”

Susie Skeens said preventing someone like Guidos from becoming homeless and taking advantage of the variety of services offered sends a simple message that she really cares.

“Sometimes that barrier is just self-confidence, so that word of encouragement can go a long way in saying, hey, we’re here for you,” Skeens said.

As for Guidos, he told me that the one piece of advice he would give to other veterans who learned his story is that it’s okay to ask for help.

“Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness,” he said. “That’s why these programs exist. They are there so that we don’t have to go through things like this alone.”

And those dark times and suicidal thoughts… Guidos said those days were behind him.

“It’s just keeping grateful at this point in my life. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for everyone I’ve met along the way, whether they were positive or negative interactions with people. I’m here because of these interactions and these people, so I can look back on everything with gratitude,” Guidos said.

Veterans Services at Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries is funded directly by donations and in part by purchases from local thrift stores.

If you are a veteran or a family member of a veteran and are looking for solutions tailored to your specific situation, you can visit the Professional Services page on their websitewebsite here.

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